Ralph Fiennes was visibly choked up last night, being presented with the Richard Harris Award for outstanding contribution at the Moet British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) in London.

Fiennes could only describe himself afterwards as in words sounding a bit street-talk from this well-versed thespian. After hunting for the bon mot to express his feelings, he finally settled on... "well-chuffed".

He eventually expanded thus: "Because Richard Harris was such an extraordinary beacon force as an actor, to have an award given by his family means a great deal. And the other recipients have been great actors who have inspired me, so I'm... yes, well chuffed."

"I knew I'd set myself a crazy task. It was probably a slightly silly thing to do, to take it on, but I felt very strongly that I wanted to. And I loved the collaborative nature of working with the team, costume designers, everyone - and course the actors."

Key to Fiennes' vision of bringing Coriolanus to the screen was his co-star Vanessa Redgrave, someone Fiennes said 'has always moved me hugely both as an actor and as a woman".

He went on admiringly: "I knew as soon as I had a script in my hand, I wanted Vanessa. She brings so many levels to any part... and she brought a quality of intimacy to this part, which floored me."

Why, out of all the projects he could have chosen for his debut directing job, did Fiennes settle on a revisiting of Coriolanus?

"There are so many things in it pertinent to now," he explained. "You have the power play of politics, economics, civic unrest, a destabilised country, continual warfare so, with all these things... the world of Coriolanus is the world we're living in - it's almost a parable for today, but at the centre is this mother-son relationship, which has always moved me since the first time I saw it."

The cream of British screen were all there last night - check out our Slideshow of the great and good at the Moet British Independent Film Awards...

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Kenneth Brannagh attends The Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London, England. Photo: Getty Images

Luke Treadaway and Jodie Whittaker attend The Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market. Photo: FilmMagic

Richard Ayoade. Photo: PA

Tom Cullen attends The Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London, England. Photo: Getty Images

British actors Vanessa Redgrave and Ralph Fiennes arrive for the 14th annual British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate, London. Photo: PA

Actor Michael Fassbender arrives for the Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London, England. Photo: WireImage

Emilia Fox attends The Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London, England. Photo: WireImage

Hayley Atwell attends The Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London, England. Photo: WireImage

Rhashan Stone and Olivia Williams arrive at the Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London. Photo: PA

Elizabeth McGovern arrives at the Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London. Photo: PA

Bradley Cooper arrives at the Moet British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate Market in London. Photo: PA